As Fate Would Have It
by crazedfangirl1
Summary: At his mother's final request, Kuroko must go on a mission and kill the leader of a clan whose strengths rivals that of his own. But the mission does not go according to plan and Kuroko, along with old and new allies as well as a very questionable love interest, must uncover the tragic history that ties the two clans together. Rated M for future chapters.
1. Chapter 1

I'd like to start off by saying thank you to you for clicking on this little story of mine. This is my first attempt at a Kuroko no Basket fanfic (also my first new fic in about 3 years) so please bare with me. This story will be totally unbeta'd and will most likely have mistakes as I will probably write the majority of the chapters when I'm sleep deprived. Hope you like!

* * *

"Kuroko, we're almost there."

A light blue-haired figure shifted slightly in his saddle as the group of horsemen made their way down the mountainside. The moon was but a sliver of light in the dark, cloudless sky. A slight breeze rustled the leaves on the ground as the hooves quietly glided over them. It was a quiet night as if to calm the storm that was raging inside of the light blue-haired figure's mind.

 _Scaling the wall of the city should not be an issue since we have the proper tools. We will only have to knock out a handful of guards that are stationed on the wall in order to get access to the city. From there, the palace should be in the dead center. Kiyoshi, Hyuuga and Izuki will distract the guards and whoever else happens to be awake. From what I have been told, his room should be on the third floor and heavily guarded. Kagami should be enough to hand-_

A swift change in the wind and a taller figure suddenly appeared next to the light blue-haired person.

"I would appreciate it if you went back into formation, Kagami," Kuroko said softly to the taller figure whose hair was colored akin to that of a rotten apple.

"Screw formation, you've been quiet the whole ride," Kagami replied with a scoff as he trotted beside Kuroko's horse.

"I have a lot to think about," Kuroko said with an edge in his voice.

"I know you do. We all do," Kagami responded and gestured to the three people behind him. One of them reacted to the statement with a small smile, another with a scowl and the last one didn't say a word.

Kuroko took a long look at his entourage. He had grown up with these four people that currently accompanied him on this godsforsaken trip. He had an incredible amount of trust in all of them and were grateful for their loyalty as well as their friendship. In the sudden turn of events, he was glad that they were the ones to help him through it.

"I appreciate that all four of you decided to come with me on this journey despite knowing the risks," Kuroko said loudly enough for everyone to hear.

One of the men that had responded with a smile chuckled and said, "We would gladly follow you to the ends of the earth if it came down to it." The men around him offered grunts and words of agreement.

"I hope it never comes down to that, Kiyoshi," Kuroko replied with a small smile. Despite his years of training, he never really learned how to convey his emotions through expression alone so he opted for words instead.

The men were quiet for a few minutes as they proceeded out of the woods and into the countryside. They began traveling down a thin road that sat in between rice fields. The peaceful water reflected the night sky beautifully. The air was even quieter than in the woods with a small buzzing sound of a dragonfly's wings every once in a while.

One of the men, the one that had a scowl on his face the whole trip, spoke up. "So what's the plan again?"

Kuroko remained quiet for a long while before speaking up. "Kiyoshi-senpai, you and Izuki-senpai will cause a ruckus in the front of the palace. Then Kagami-kun and I shall infiltrate the palace while everyone is distracted and find him." Kuroko's voice tensed up at the word "him".

"This is gonna be fun," the man who asked the question replied, a smirk clearly visible on his face.

"Now, now Hyuuga, don't get too excited. We're only distracting them for as long as we need to and then hurry and find Kuroko," Kiyoshi said with a wide smile.

"He can't help getting excited, Riko forbade him from going on any other missions because of what happened on that last one," the man named Izuki said.

"I've been fully recovered for weeks now," Hyuuga replied in an annoyed tone.

"She's only looking out for you since you obviously have trouble looking after yourself," Kiyoshi responded with a laugh.

"Let's spar so I can wipe that dumb grin off your face, Teppei," Hyuuga said as he reached for the sword at his side.

"Guys, it's really not the time to be doing this," Izuki said with a sigh as he pushed himself between Kiyoshi and Hyuuga's horses.

"Stop your arguing 'cause we're here," Kagami shouted hastily from the front of the line as he pulled on the reins to stop his horse. He looked to Kuroko for direction but Kuroko was already lost in his own world as he looked ahead at the structure that stood in front of him.

The large city was surrounded by an enormous stone wall, one meant to protect the citizens from any outsiders. Despite it being the middle of the night, certain parts of the city were ablaze in light and lively sounds could be heard from the people inside. Guards were lined up equally apart along the rim of the wall and three stood in front of the large, stone doors that led into the city.

"I'm assuming getting in won't be as easy as knocking on the front doors and politely asking," Izuki said exasperatedly.

"If it was that easy, we wouldn't have waited to start the mission until it was the middle of the night," Kagami-kun replied and then looked back at Kuroko who was staring intently at the city.

Many moments passed before Kuroko turned to face his men. "You all know what you have to do. Let's see to it that this mission ends successfully."

With those words, the men all smiled proudly and proceeded to get off their horses as did Kuroko. After they had released their horses, the men grouped back together.

"Try not to take anymore casualties than you need to. Remember why we are here in the first place," Kuroko stated swiftly as he adjusted the sack on his back. It carried the tools he would need to climb the building and then some.

After adjusting their own bags, the men looked at their leader as if to confirm the start of the mission.

"I want all of you back alive," Kuroko said with a note of finality in his voice and then turned to face the city, a fire ablaze in his normally cool, blue eyes.

"Let the fun begin," Hyuuga stated with an smirk and the group began to walk towards the city.

* * *

The palace was bustling with desperation as everyone ran around frantically trying to deal with the situation. Kuroko ignored the excessive noise and instead focused all his attention on the figure lying on the bed before him. He held her hand tightly with both palms as if she might disappear if he loosened his grip even a little.

"Mother..." he said quietly as he bowed his head on the bed.

The leader of their clan, Kuroko Chizu, was motionless in the bed, her chest lifting up ever so slowly. She was a fragile woman due to the sickness that had stripped away her life over the past decade. Her long and pale blue hair, even lighter than Kuroko's, was limp and fell in a circle around her even paler face. She had her eyes closed shut for the time being which only frightened Kuroko even more. She could be gone any moment now and he wouldn't even be aware of it.

The two stayed in that position until the door of the Chizu's master bedroom burst open and in came Kagami.

"How is she?" he said quietly as he quickly made his way over to Kuroko's side.

Kuroko lifted his head slightly, his forehead furrowed as he stared painfully at his mother. "The physician said she only has a few more hours. Her body can't fight the sickness any longer and as of now, we have no way to treat it." He brought his mother's hand to his lips and kissed the worn out knuckles tenderly.

Kagami looked to Chizu and then back at Kuroko whose sky blue eyes were semi-glazed over with tears that were too stubborn to fall. Kuroko was the only one that Kagami had sworn to follow but the leader was always like a second mother to Kagami. He, as well as everyone else in the castle, was having a hard time dealing with their leader's situation. Kagami lifted his hand to rest on Kuroko's back as the only form of consolation he could offer him.

Time passed and people went in and out of the leader's bedroom to say their goodbyes. Sniffles were heard all over, especially from the young children who Chizu had taken under her wing because their parents neglected them. Everyone, from the maids to the cooks to the members of the counsel, offered their good wishes and blessings as their beloved leader made her way to the next world.

After everyone had said what they wanted, Kuroko was left alone with his mother. Even Kagami left, to give the two some space.

Kuroko looked solemnly at his mother's face and was overwhelmed with emotion as he saw her slowly open her eyes.

"Mother!" he said in relief.

Chizu turned to face her son and with all the energy she had left in her, smiled tiredly.

"Mother... Please..." Kuroko pleaded. What was he pleading for, he didn't even know.

His mother looked at him with all the love she could muster and opened her mouth slightly. "My sweet... Child..." A single tear began to trail down her cheek.

"Please, don't try to speak, Mother," Kuroko whispered hastily as his own tears finally released from his eyes.

"I have... One last thing... I must... tell you," the leader said in between gasps of air. Just breathing was becoming hard for her to do.

"What is it?" Kuroko said softly as he leaned in to his mother's face and committed every word she was saying to memory.

"Kill the... leader of the... Akashi clan..." she said slowly before a cough that felt like a storm plowing through her chest interrupted her.

Kuroko hurriedly let go of his mother's hand to reach for a glass of water at her bedside table, raised her head with his palm and lifted the water slowly to his mother's lips. She managed to swallow only a little before she brushed the glass away.

"You must... complete ... this mission... without fail..." The leader looked at her son with tearful eyes and Kuroko, who could no longer contain himself, allowed even more tears to fall. His mother slowly lifted her frail hand to caress his cheek and wiped away a few tears before she spoke again.

"You are... the only one who... can end this... tragedy..."

And with that last word, the leader of the Kuroko clan passed away peacefully.

Kuroko stared at his mother's lifeless face with wide eyes and with all the restraint he could muscle, tried not to scream out in agony.

He sat there in the chair placed beside his mother's body as he firmly grasped her left palm with both hands, the heat still radiating off her body. With his forehead lying on the bed, he whispered quietly to himself.

"I will complete this mission without fail, mother."

* * *

"Are you sure you're ready?"

Kuroko was currently in the stables behind the palace and stopped adjusting the reins on his stallion. He turned around to look at the person behind him.

"I am sure. Everyone has packed what they need, Riko," Kuroko said as he stared at the slightly shorter brown-haired girl.

"I'm not talking about supplies, I'm talking about you. The leader just passed and you're already leaving," Riko said with a furrowed forehead.

"There is no time to waste," Kuroko said simply as he turned to finish adjusting the reins.

"You cannot rush into this with a clouded mind," Riko said sternly as she reached for Kuroko's shoulders to turn him around to face her.

Kuroko stared at her blankly for a moment before he gently reached to move her hands from his shoulders. He held her hands and squeezed them tightly then said, "I am not rushing into anything. The relationship between our clan and the Akashi clan has always been shakey even from the time of our first leader. It was only a matter of time before one of us killed the other."

"Even so, why do you have to go? How is the clan gonna handle everything when we have no leader?" Riko said roughly as she stared worriedly at Kuroko.

"My cousin will handle everything for now. He is as well-versed in the legal procedures as I am. Maybe even more," Kuroko said with a soft smile.

Riko stared at Kuroko for a long time before sighing and releasing his hands. "I'm aware that Mayuzumi can handle the paperwork but our people would feel a lot better with their new leader here."

"I know they would but this is Mother's final request and I'm sure the clan understands that," Kuroko said, the memory of his mother's last smile still fresh in his mind.

Riko stared long and hard at Kuroko before sighing once again.

"I'll ensure that she is buried peacefully next to your father's grave and hold the fort down along with Mayuzumi," Riko whispered as she quickly wiped away a stray tear. She loved Chizu just as much as Kuroko did.

"I know you will," Kuroko said gently as he smiled as his childhood friend.

"You and everyone else better make it back alive or I'll kill you," Riko said as she lightly punched Kuroko's left arm.

"No way we're gonna die," a random voice shouted from behind Riko and Kuroko.

Kagami came out of the shadows while carrying a sack as he made his way to the pair.

"What have I told you about that cocky attitude, Kagami?" Riko said and jabbed Kagami in the side which he was too slow to avoid.

While Kuroko waited for Kagami to heal from Riko's attack, Kiyoshi, Hyuuga and Izuki came from the palace with their respectable bags as well as their choice of weapons.

"Here's that thing you asked for, Kuroko," Izuki said as he handed Kuroko a short object wrapped in a dark blue cloth.

"Thank you, Izuki," Kuroko said with a soft smile as he took the object.

Kuroko whistled and said, "Whoa, so you're finally bringing that out, Kuroko?"

"What is it?" Kiyoshi asked as he stared blankly at the wrapped object.

"Something my father left me," Kuroko said quietly. He untied the thick leather and proceeded to remove the cloth. A black sheath with a sky blue emblem etched into it emerged.

Kuroko took the sheath into one hand and with the other, grasped the handle and pulled. He held the sharp blade firmly and stared intently at his reflection in the metal.

 _You will be put to good use._

* * *

And that's it for chapter 1! Sorry if it's a bit confusing and OOC and fast-paced, I'm very rusty. Reviews and constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated! I am hoping not abandon this fic like I have all my past ones and reviews really help push me along! Thank you again for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you to everyone who read and/or left a review on chapter 1, very much appreciated! Well, here's chapter 2. Hopefully, my writing will improve as I get back into the swing of things. Enjoy!

* * *

Kuroko tilted his head to the side. He looked at the sky and took note of the very faint showings of dark blue in the horizon. Dawn was quickly approaching and he knew he had to move fast. He moved his hand above his head and grasped a brick that stood out of the stone wall. Earlier, him and Kagami separated from Kiyoshi, Hyuuga and Izuki who were currently scaling the other side of the wall. Kagami and Kuroko took the side of the wall that was positioned directly behind the palace and had been climbing it for about half an hour. Every so often, Kuroko could hear curse words coming from the right of him where his partner was supposed to be.

 _Thankfully it isn't a windy night or we would have more trouble._

Kuroko kept his head held high and within another half hour, the top of the wall was within an arm's reach. He heard a faint whistle come from his right which signaled that Kagami had also finished climbing. Kuroko lift his head slightly above the rim of the structure and surveyed the area. There was a guard about twenty feet to the right of him and another about five feet to the left. The one on the right was busy daydreaming, or falling asleep, as he rested his cheek on his right palm and looked out at the rice paddies with a blank expression. The other guard on the left was distracted by a pale yellow bird that happened to land near him. He was busy squatting on the ground while trying to feed the bird with bread crumbs. Kuroko lowered himself back down and whistled two notes which signaled to Kagami that they would attack after five counts.

 _Five... four... three... two... one!_

Kuroko leapt over the wall with ease and safely tucked the tool he was using to climb back into his bag. The guard feeding the bird didn't even have time to react as Kuroko crept up behind him and knocked him out with a swift hit to the neck. The guard fell face forward as the bird took flight and flew back into the city. Kuroko heard a grunt and looked behind him to find Kagami standing over the guard that was busy daydreaming.

Kuroko quickly walked over to Kagami and pointed at the spot of the wall where a staircase peeked out of the wall. The pair quickly walked towards the spot and sprinted down the stairs.

"The guards are all too sleepy or dumb to notice that two of their own aren't standing anymore," Kagami whispered with a smirk as he and Kuroko reached the middle of the stairs.

Kuroko ignored Kagami's remark and instead focused all of his attention on navigating through the city. The sun will break the surface of the horizon any minute now and they will lose the cover that the night kindly offered.

The duo sneaked past various shops, boutiques and vendors as they made their way to the palace. The city was slowly coming alive as breakfast vendors were opening their stalls and sellers were preparing their produce.

 _We need to make it there before the citizens wake up. My intelligence did not warn me the palace would be this far from the walls._

Kuroko inwardly cursed at himself when out of a nowhere, he heard a loud noise.

He stopped at a corner of a shop and turned around to see a dog barking at him. It was a dark gray Labrador that had a single, large, dark blue spot that completely covered its left ear. Kagami was stuck in his tracks behind Kuroko and glared at the dog who continued barking.

"The townspeople have not even turned to look at us, is it because of his animal instinct that he can see us?" Kuroko asked Kagami quietly.

"Who cares, we need to get a move on before it gets too crowded," Kagami said hastily as he nudged Kuroko ahead.

Kuroko didn't resist and started to walk but not before sneaking one more look at the dog who stopped barking. It sat perfectly still in the road and almost seemed to smirk as Kuroko and Kagami continued on their way to the palace.

 _That dog gives me a strange feeling._

* * *

"Are you ready?"

Kiyoshi asked as he and Hyuuga hovered over Izuki who was tinkering with something on the ground.

"All ready to go," Izuki said confidently as he gave a thumbs up.

"You didn't place them anywhere near civilians, right? You know how Kuroko feels about hurting the innocent," Kiyoshi inquired as he stared at the device on the ground.

"Yeah, I made sure to not put it anywhere near the shops or houses," Hyuuga said gruffly as he glanced around at the area. The sun just started to peek out from behind the horizon and the city was slowly but surely waking up. "I just hope they've gotten at least close to the palace by now."

The trio were currently positioned just about fifty feet to the side of the palace to avoid any roaming guards. They had no problem scaling the wall and knocking out a few guards before reaching their current position. Izuki, being the more technical member of the group, set up a contraption that would guarantee a distraction.

"Ready?" Izuki asked. With nods from both Hyuuga and Kiyoshi, he struck the stick against the small box and maneuvered the resulting flame into the small hole of the contraption. The flame then spread down along the six strands that were connected to the center of the contraption. Then Izuki stood up and looked off into the direction of the palace.

"Once the fire reaches the end of the spheres that Hyuuga placed in certain parts of the city, they should explode and release the gas which will spread within about a hundred feet radius, masking both Kuroko and Kagami so they can reach the palace without any problems," Izuki said proudly.

"Does it harm anyone who breathes in the gas?" Kiyoshi asked then lifted his sleeve to cover his nose.

"It should only make them a little drowsy, nothing life-threatening. Kuroko wouldn't let me use any of my more powerful poisons," Izuki answered as he shook his head.

The three stood in silence as they waited to hear the six explosions. A dog could be heard barking at an unfortunate fellow in the distance. Small noises were heard every so often due to the vendors opening their stalls. The quiet lull of wagons being dragged down the streets echoed through the air. No explosions whatsoever.

"Hey, what's the big deal, Izuki?" Hyuuga asked in an angry tone as he stared at the contraption on the ground.

"I'm not sure, the gas should've been released by now," Izuki said with concern as he squatted down to adjust the device.

Just then, the group heard a loud rustle from a patch of bushes that were near them. A white cat with large dark green spots along its back walked out of the greenery with six small spheres in its mouth. It walked within five feet of the trio and softly dropped the spheres onto the concrete ground.

"You little!" Hyuuga shouted as he sprinted over to where the cat sat when all of a sudden, there was an explosion and the area was completely covered with a green mist.

* * *

"Don't you think it's weird?"

Kuroko and Kagami were quietly walking on the red carpet-lined floor of the second floor past closed doors that were eerily silent. They had scaled the side of the palace and entered easily through an open window.

"The fact that there were hardly any guards outside and none inside the palace is...unsettling," Kuroko said slowly as he began to climb up a flight of golden stairs that were set at the end of the hallway.

"It's a trap," Kagami stated bluntly as he glanced around the hallway before following Kuroko up the stairs. "It's already early morning, we should've at least seen some guards or maids, at least. The only ones we saw were the ones at the wall and maybe two that were patrolling the outside of the palace."

"Perhaps the rumors are true and the leader is only guarded by his three underlings," Kuroko replied quietly.

"That's a bunch of bullshit, I heard one of his underlings is a happy go lucky playboy that doesn't do anything but sleep around with harlots. How can anyone trust someone like that to guard them?" Kagami whispered with a scowl. He didn't care for careless people whose only goals in life were to have fun.

Kuroko ignored his partner and looked down the hallway. Despite it being the first time he's set foot in the palace, he had no trouble finding his way around it.

 _Why does it feel like I have walked through these halls before?_

The uneasy feeling he had earlier was only growing as they kept walking.

"We're almost there," Kuroko said quietly more to himself than to Kagami.

Their destination was just within twenty feet of a walk. It was a grand entrance, golden doors that had twin dragons etched into the front. The twin dragons were mirror images of each other as their tails reached the bottom of the double doors, fully entwining themselves together. In the middle of the doors, right above the handles, was a brilliant ruby orb that stuck out about halfway from the door. Kuroko stared at the doors, as if they would magically open the more intently he stared.

 _I heard no sign of a ruckus. I hope nothing bad has happened to them._

Kuroko's concern for Kiyoshi, Hyuuga and Izuki grew as he walked closer to the doors that were rumored to be the entrance to the leader's bedroom.

The pair reached the double doors and stood right in front of them. Kuroko softly placed his palms on the handles and glanced up at Kagami as he always did before a mission.

 _Don't go too crazy._

 _No promises._

With that, Kuroko pulled open the doors to a sight that surprised both him and Kagami.

There, about fifteen feet in front of them, stood a red clothed man with hair that matched his attire. He was a wearing an eastern styled outfit, the embroidered golden dragon that trailed down his back was intricate and clearly expensive. The man was leaning on the edge of his opened window that was perfectly positioned to watch the sunrise. Kuroko heard a rustling sound from where the red-haired man's hands were supposed to be.

"It's a beautiful morning, isn't it?"

The red-haired man turned around and perched on his right index finger was a small pale yellow bird.

"It can't be..." Kuroko whispered harshly as he stared at the bird as it started to take flight. Mid-flight, an explosion echoed throughout the room along with a yellow mist that covered the area around Kuroko. He caught a glimpse of a tall, blonde male emerge from the smoke when he heard a grunt from behind him.

He turned around to see a tall, navy haired man holding Kagami up who had just been knocked unconscious.

"Shouldn't have turned around," said a singsong-y voice from behind him.

Kuroko started turn around before he felt a force on the back of his neck that caused black spots to appear in his vision. His body fell to the ground and before he blacked out, he heard someone faintly say, "You were right, Kise. He is an attractive fellow."

* * *

That's all for chapter 2! I would've had Akashi and Kuroko meet in this chapter but I'm worried that doing s might make chapter 3 too short so forgive me! if you have any questions about anything, feel free to write it in a review or message me. I'm sure there are some plot holes somewhere. Thank you for reading! Until the next chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

Whoo, chapter 3 and it's a long one at that. I'm writing these chapters at a pretty decent pace. Here's hoping I am able to finish this fic before summer is over and I'll be too busy to write. Thank you for all the lovely reviews so far! It really motivates me to continue the story. I hope y'all enjoy this chapter as well.

* * *

"Should I get Midorima to take a look at him?"

"This is all your fault, why did you use so much force?"

"Ehh, I didn't realize he was that weak!"

"Both are you are being too loud. Leave."

"But Akash- ah, looks like you're finally awake."

Kuroko slowly opened his eyes as he listened to the noisy voices around him.

 _What time is it... Where am I?_

He shifted his eyes to glance around the room. He noticed a large window to his right, the moonlight peeking out from behind the partially open curtains. He was lying down in a wooden canopy bed that was pushed up right against the wall. The ceiling of the canopy bed had an ornate red and gold floral design. The curtains of the bed were tightly wound around each pole. He looked to his left and noticed a group of men standing close to the bed. The one on the farthest left was tan, blue-haired and had an annoyed expression on his face. The second one was slightly shorter than the first one and had bright yellow hair. His forehead was furrowed with worry. The last one, on the right, had lively red hair and was much shorter than the first two but whose presence seemed to fill up the whole room.

 _Who are y-_

The thoughts clicked and Kuroko recalled where he was then shot straight up into a defensive pose. He backed away into the farthest corner of the bed and eyed the three men furiously.

"A feisty one, aren't ya?" The dark blue-haired man said with a smirk as he eyed Kuroko like a lion preparing to go in for an attack.

"Now, now, Kuroko, you're still kind of injured so it'd be best for you to lie down for now," the yellow haired man said worriedly as he took a seat on the bed. He reached his hand out towards Kuroko but Kuroko only took that as a reason to get off the bed completely. Kuroko walked backwards until he hit the opposite side of the room and was as far away from the three men as possible.

Still in a defensive stance, Kuroko demanded, "How do you know my name? Where are my comrades?"

The trio looked at each as if having a mental conversation before the red-haired man spoke up.

"Ryouta, Daiki, I think it would be best if you leave us alone for a bit."

"But what if he tries something while we're gone?" The blonde haired man said worriedly.

"I already searched him for any weapons. Unless he's got a sword up his butt, Akashi will be fine," the dark blue-haired man said then yawned and walked towards the opened double doors. He stood in the door frame and looked back at the yellow-haired man then shouted, "Oi, Kise. Hurry up before I drag you out."

Kise stared back at Akashi and then at Kuroko before reluctantly following. "Stupid Aomine, if something happens to Akashi, I'm telling Midorima that it's your fault."

"Yeah, yeah," Aomine said and then moved the double doors shut, leaving Kuroko alone with Akashi.

Akashi stared at the doors for a second to ensure the two had left before directing all his attention to Kuroko, who hadn't moved an inch from the wall.

"Now that those idiots are gone, we can finally talk," Akashi said with a smile as he took a seat on the bed. He looked at Kuroko for a second and then patted a spot next to him on the bed.

"I am fairly certain I could kill you with my bare hands," Kuroko said coldly as he glared daggers at Akashi whose smile did not falter despite the intensity of the threat.

"Oh, I am very aware of your skills, Kuroko Tetsuya," Akashi said as his smile grew wider. He crossed one knee over the other and stared at Kuroko.

The two were locked in a staring contest that resumed for a long while before Kuroko couldn't resist the urge to look away. Those deadly red eyes seemed to delve into the depths of his soul and examine every nook and cranny of it. He didn't appreciate the feeling of being observed under a magnifying glass.

Akashi chuckled at this and said, "Now if you want some of your questions answered, I suggest you to sit down and rest as you are still healing. It would be wise not to move your neck too much over the next few days." He patted the same spot beside him.

Kuroko's fierce glare didn't change and, after an inner argument, figured that the best and least painful option would be to obey. For now.

He cautiously walked from the wall to the bed but remained seated on the edge opposite of Akashi.

Akashi looked at him questionably and said, "I suppose that's better than nothing. Now, before you say anything else, I can guarantee that your comrades are safe although not necessarily unharmed."

At that last remark, Kuroko tensed up and reached for an object that was strapped to his waist but was confused when his fingers touched nothing but fabric.

"That dagger of yours has been safely locked away for the time being. It is a very beautiful weapon," Akashi stated simply, as if Kuroko hadn't just tried to kill him hours before.

"Take me to my comrades," Kuroko demanded from the red head. Akashi tilted his head to the side, as if taking Kuroko's demand into consideration.

"I had something else in mind," he replied simply then stood up and walked around to the other side of the bed.

Kuroko tensed up as Akashi came closer but he walked past where Kuroko was sitting and instead, leaned on the window that was situated right next to the bed. With his profile to Kuroko, he spoke.

"I have a proposition for you."

Kuroko stared at Akashi. The embroidered dragon was even more beautiful up close, with its clearly handmade gems sewn into the fabric along with the meticulous detail placed into each seam that made up the scales.

"What kind of proposition?" Kuroko asked hesitantly.

 _This man is much more eccentric than the rumors let on._

"Think of it as a game."

Akashi turned sideways to face Kuroko with a smirk plastered onto his face. He swiftly moved from the window to right beside Kuroko on the bed and positioned his face so close to him that Kuroko could make out the detail in Akashi's irises.

"You see, your comrades are currently being held in my dungeons. With one word from me, they can be easily executed."

Kuroko flattened his left hand and instinctively went for Akashi's neck with the intention of jabbing a very painful nerve. But Akashi reacted timely and caught Kuroko's wrist with his right palm with Kuroko's fingernails just an inch from his neck.

"You are a rather impatient one, aren't you? Let me finish my proposition," Akashi said smoothly as he held Kuroko's wrist in place.

"As I was saying. I can easily kill your comrades but I will give you a choice in the matter. If you can obey some rules I've established, I will release one of your comrades every month as long as you behave yourself during your time here."

Kuroko stared blankly at Akashi, all the rage from earlier replaced with confusion.

"So what do you think?" Akashi said and released Kuroko's wrist which had developed a red ring around it.

Kuroko continued staring while massaging his wrist and reluctantly said, "I think you're insane."

Akashi laughed out loud at this statement while Kuroko continued to stare in befuddlement.

 _What is wrong with this man?_

"Why not just kill us and get it over with?" Kuroko asked sternly.

"That would be the easiest option. After all, you did try to kill me and our clans have been at war for many generations now."

Akashi stood up from the bed and paced around the floor just a few feet in front of Kuroko.

"Surely, after I killed you and your comrades, I could travel over and take down the Kuroko clan whose moral would clearly be weakened after they discover that their leader as well as some of their strongest people died tragically. I am sure that my ancestors would love to finally stomp out the remaining members of your clan." Akashi said with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

Kuroko glared at Akashi with cold, ice blue eyes as Akashi continued.

"But you see, it is not everyday that a renowned assassin, such as yourself, attempts to take my life."

Akashi stopped pacing and in a flash he shoved Kuroko into the bed. With his knee positioned between Kuroko's crotch and hands wrapped around his wrists, Akashi hovered over the smaller male threateningly.

"And if I can make someone as powerful as you grovel on your knees then..." Akashi trailed off and brought his lips closer to Kuroko's left ear.

"Then I want to take all the time I have and enjoy myself," Akashi whispered huskily.

The red head latched his mouth onto Kuroko's defenseless ear as the smaller male let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

Akashi released his mouth and hovered above Kuroko so they were eye to eye.

"So what do you say? Will you agree to my conditions and live here at the palace like a good, little, caged bird? Or will you refuse and risk the lives of your comrades even more than you already have?"

Kuroko looked up at the red head with animosity. But after a long period of deliberation, he slowly nodded his headed.

At this, Akashi lowered his head back down next to Kuroko's ear and whispered softly, "Let me hear you say it."

 _I am going to kill this man the second his back is turned._

"I... agree to your proposition," the light blue-haired male said as he tried to inch his head away from Akashi as far as he physically could.

"Good boy."

Akashi stood up from the bed and walked around the bed to the entrance of the room. He pushed the doors open and, without looking back at Kuroko, said, "If you would like to see your comrades, follow me."

* * *

"Do not think about trying something while we are in the dungeons," Akashi said as he walked in front of Kuroko, the latter following a few feet behind. "If you are as powerful as the rumors have said, you should be aware of the differences in our strengths by now."

Kuroko stayed quiet as he followed the red head. Tuning Akashi out, he took a look at his surroundings.

He inferred it was almost dinnertime considering the amount of servants and maids wandering around in a hustle as they carried a variety of ingredients, filled bowls and boiling pots. The palace had a completely different atmosphere from when Kuroko and Kagami had first arrived that morning. Everyone, despite how busy they were, stopped what they were doing and bowed to Akashi who didn't pay them any attention at all as he walked out of the entrance of the palace. Kuroko stared at Akashi's back and thought intensely to himself.

 _How did he know we were coming? Where are his underlings? Where did he hide Father's dagger?_

Kuroko asked himself plenty of questions as he continued to walk behind Akashi who was leading him through the less populated alleyways of the city. Within minutes, they reached an empty street and walked towards a rundown wooden building that looked like it was collapsing in on itself. The roof had different colored tiles scattered in strange places where Kuroko assumed holes had formed from bad weather or other incidences. The windows were beaten and battered. Some didn't even have glass and were just rectangular holes in the wall. The front door, a thin paper door with a wooden structure, looked like it had seen better days.

Akashi slid the door to the side and entered the building. He didn't wait to see if Kuroko was following and walked briskly into the darkness. Kuroko hesitated at the doorway before walking slowly into the dark abyss.

The more they walked, the more Kuroko felt like he was losing connection with the world outside. Light didn't reach into the building apart from the few gaps in the wall that the wooden panels didn't fully cover. The building was mostly empty on the inside with a few scrap pieces of metal or wood scattered here and there. A thick coating of dust covered every part of the floor except for the area he and Akashi were currently walking on.

"It is easy to get lost in here so I would suggest you to never come down here alone," Akashi said softly without turning around. Kuroko noticed that he came to a stop and heard a creak, assuming Akashi had just opened a door. He heard footsteps that sounded farther and farther away as time passed.

 _A staircase._

Kuroko followed the receding sound of the footsteps and slowly walked down the staircase, careful to be at least five feet behind Akashi. He ran his left hand along the cold and rough bricks as they descended deeper and deeper.

He couldn't tell how long they had been walking before his eyes caught sight of a small flame at the end of the staircase. As they got closer to the flame, he realized there was a hallway to the right of the flame. Akashi turned the corner and Kuroko followed quickly behind.

As soon as they turned the corner, Kuroko was shocked at the sight. Dozens of metal doors lined both sides of the hallway. The doors had a small barred window near the top while closer to the bottom was a thin rectangular cutout that was just big enough to fit a small tray. There were torches placed in between each door and the hallway seemed to never end.

Kuroko turned in anger towards Akashi but he was busy talking to a tall and bulky dark- skinned man and a shorter, yellow-haired boy who had a playful smirk on his face.

"The three that were brought down here first haven't woken up yet but we had some issues with the red head," the dark-skinned man said gruffly.

"Which cell is he in?" Akashi asked as he stared down the hallway.

"Twelfth one on the right. He was being rowdy so we had to slip him a little something," the shorter male said enthusiastically.

Without waiting for Akashi, Kuroko sprinted down the hallway in desperation. He came to an abrupt stop at a door labeled "12" in large, black, faded paint. He stood on the heels of his feet and peeked into the cell through the small window.

The space was cramped and hardly big enough to fit the figure lying on the ground under a rough looking blanket.

"Kagami!" Kuroko shouted painfully into the small cell as tears of relief developed in his eyes.

"Mhm... Mmm..." was all Kuroko could hear from his childhood friend who had barely moved at the sound of his voice.

Kuroko heard a shuffle from behind him and turned around to see Akashi.

"It would be wise of you to remember our conversation from earlier," the taller male said quietly with a cold smile as he approached Kuroko so that their noses were on the brink of touching. He moved his head to the side and whispered into Kuroko's right ear. "You would not want your precious comrades to die an excruciating death now would you?" Kuroko could almost hear the sneer in his voice.

Akashi backed off of the smaller male and walked back down the way he came. He bid goodbye to the two guards, walked to the staircase and looked back at Kuroko.

Kuroko stared back at Kagami who had still not shifted a bit.

 _I will get you out of here. Please be patient until then._

With that, the leader of the Kuroko clan, turned on his heel and walked down the hallway towards the staircase and followed Akashi up to where an unpleasant future was certainly waiting for him.

* * *

"As I said earlier, I have established some rules for you."

They had walked back from the dungeons in silence as Kuroko tried to contain his anger. The duo arrived at the palace and Akashi led him to the room that they were in earlier. The shorter male was currently standing just inside the room while Akashi was standing right outside the door frame.

"First, you will obey everything I say," Akashi said with a smirk as he looked down at Kuroko.

Kuroko stared at the red head with blank eyes as he tried to mask the anger that was still raging inside of him. Oh, what he would give to the gods to punch the smirk right off the man's face.

"Second, I will assign you one task everyday and you must do it without fail."

Akashi paused and stepped closer to Kuroko so that he was standing right in the middle of the door frame.

"And lastly, if I deem your efforts worthy, I will answer any questions you may have," he said as his smirk faltered. A serious expression developed on his face and Kuroko could have sworn that for a split second, there was something else in those red eyes, something more fragile. But the moment was gone and the red head was back to smirking.

"As long as you behave yourself, you will be able to go home with your comrades in no time at all." The taller male stepped out of the door frame and started to close the doors in front of Kuroko. He stopped just as the doors were about five inches apart from each other.

"I would advise you to not attempt to escape this room unless you want to be gravely injured. Rest well. You have a big day tomorrow," Akashi said with an evil gleam in his eyes. He closed the doors completely, effectively leaving Kuroko alone in the dark.

Kuroko stared at the closed doors in a daze for a second before turning around and walking over to the bed. He sat down with a thump and ran his hands roughly through his hair. He sat there with his elbows on his thighs as wild thoughts ran through his mind.

 _He will not break me. He will not break me. He will not break me._

He said this mantra to himself even after he reluctantly dragged himself under the covers. He lied on his back as he tried to quiet the storm inside him to no avail. Giving up on sleep, he turned to his side and stared at the window as the moonlight subtlety crept past it and into the room. He hadn't realized how much he had missed his mother until a few stray tears fell from his eyes. The memories of his last conversation with her appeared as he closed his eyes.

"Please, Mother... Give me the strength to get through this..." the young boy whispered softly into his pillow and with the memories of his mother playing through his mind, Kuroko finally fell asleep.

* * *

A white cat with large dark green spots along its back was sitting outside the window and peered into the room where a light blue-haired figure was sleeping. The cat squinted its eyes and jumped swiftly from the window to the ground and started walking down the street.

* * *

Akashi was sitting in his bedroom, looking over documents for the next day, when he heard a small explosion from outside the doors. A series of knocks followed.

"Come in, Midorima."

A lean, green-haired male opened one of the doors and bowed before entering the bedroom.

"How is he?" Akashi asked without looking up from the paper in his hand as soon as Midorima was within five feet of his desk.

"It appears that he just fell asleep," the taller male said frankly as he adjusted his glasses with his right hand that was meticulously wrapped in bandages.

"It is good that he's finally resting," Akashi replied as he dropped the paper onto his desk and stood up then walked over to his window. He stared at a building in the distance where a certain light blue-haired person was currently staying at. Silence spread through the room for a few moments as the two men were occupied with their own thoughts.

"Don't you think you're being a bit harsh on him?" Midorima asked, breaking the silence.

Akashi didn't say anything to this and walked over to sit on his bed. He stared at the floor before answering his right hand man.

"He will understand later why I have done what I have done," Akashi said quietly, his eyes not leaving the floor.

Midorima stared as his leader for a moment before sighing. He bowed and proceeded to leave the room before a question stopped him in his tracks.

"Do you think I am doing the wrong thing?"

Midorima turned around to face Akashi and stared at him with a blank expression. "It is not like you to be unsure of your actions."

The red head chuckled at Midorima's answer and lifted his head then put his left palm to rest against his forehead.

"You are correct about that..." Akashi whispered to himself and then collapsed gracelessly onto his bed.

Midorima took this as his cue to leave and bowed to his leader before closing the door softly behind him.

The young leader of the Akashi clan lied in his bed as he calmly recalled the events that happened today.

"So it has begun..."

* * *

Hopefully the conversations between Akashi and Kuroko aren't too confusing. What do y'all think Akashi's true motives are? I'd love to hear your thoughts! If you enjoyed the chapter or found some issues with it, please feel free to let me know in a review or PM. I am always open to constructive criticism. Until the next chapter!


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